Francis Ford Coppola Compares New Film’s Mixed Reviews to Apocalypse Now

April 14, 20243 Mins Read

Legendary director Francis Ford Coppola compares the mixed critical reception of his upcoming film Megalopolis to the early mixed reviews for his classic war film Apocalypse Now in 1979, which is now considered a masterpiece.

Megalopolis is a high-concept sci-fi epic movie that follows an architect’s ambitious quest to rebuild New York City as a utopian haven. The film features an all-star cast including Adam Driver, Giancarlo Esposito, Aubrey Plaza, Nathalie Emmanuel, Shia LaBeouf, Jason Schwartzman, Forest Whitaker, Jon Voight, Laurence Fishburne, and Dustin Hoffman.

Jon Hamm Thought Francis Ford Coppola’s Megalopolis Would Never Happen

Jon Hamm says he doubted the realization of Francis Ford Coppola’s ambitious movie Megalopolis would ever come to fruition.

Speaking with The Daily Beast, Coppola drew comparisons between the polarized reception of Megalopolis and Apocalypse Now, stating, “This is exactly what happened with Apocalypse Now 40 years ago. There were very contradicting views expressed, but the audience never stopped going to see the film, and to this day Apocalypse Now is still in very profitable distribution. I am sure this will be the same situation with Megalopolis. It will stand the test of time.”

Megalopolis faced challenges in securing a production studio and distribution, leading the esteemed director to personally finance the ambitious venture. Reportedly, Coppola invested $120 million of his personal funds and divested a “significant portion of his wine empire” to finance Megalopolis. Moreover, significant departures from the crew during production compelled Coppola and his team to overcome unexpected hurdles to bring the film to completion. Presently, Megalopolis lacks both a distributor and an official release date.

Francis Ford Coppola Claps Back on Reports of Megalopolis’ Ballooning Budget

Legendary Godfather filmmaker Francis Ford Coppola slams reports about a runaway budget and production chaos for his new film Megalopolis.

Lead actor Adam Driver recently characterized Megalopolis as “undefinable” and “truly unique.” Driver commended Coppola as “a visionary” and has consistently expressed admiration for the film’s artistic journey.

Megalopolis Had a Challenging Production

Despite encountering criticism and protracted production challenges, Coppola remains unwavering in his support for the film. By January 2023, halfway through filming, budgetary concerns emerged, surpassing the initial $120 million estimate. Journalists drew parallels between these production issues and those faced by Coppola during the making of Apocalypse Now. Due to the purported “unstable filming environment,” several key crew members, including production designer Beth Mickle, art director David Scott, and visual effects supervisor Mark Russell, along with the entire visual effects team, departed the project.

Coppola and Driver refuted these claims, asserting that while some crew turnover occurred, the production remained on schedule and within budget. Filmmaker Mike Figgis documented the behind-the-scenes challenges of Megalopolis. This documentary will be released alongside the film and will feature interviews with George Lucas, Martin Scorsese, and Steven Spielberg. Driver completed his filming in early March, with principal photography concluding on March 30, 2023.

Megalopolis is scheduled to be released in 2024.

Source: The Daily Beast.